Soil 101Have you ever wondered why most soils are lacking the nutrients or soil structure needed to support healthy plant development?
The truth is the nutrients that plants require are contained in dirt. The trick is turning dirt into soil requires life in the soil.
Life requires food.
Explanation of Soil Food WebBacteria break down minerals contained in rock, silk, sand, and clay through alkaline enzymes to consume the nutrition they need.
Step 01
Meanwhile, fungi use acidic enzymes to break down organic matter.
Step 02
Step 03Enzymes are the same thing we use when we breathe on glasses before cleaning them. The enzymes in our mouth break down organic matter.
Step 04As they consume more than what their bodies need, they poop out the rest. Just like everything else in life.
That poop then becomes like a glue.
These glues become the foundation for soil aggregates.
Imagine bacteria create building bricks.
Step 05
Step 06And as the fungi moves through the soil, it connects those soil aggregates. These become the foundation for soil structure.
Step 07As populations of bacteria and fungi increase, higher-level organisms come along to feed on the bacteria and fungi for their nutrients.
Step 08Much like what we know about the above ground predator-prey food web.
Step 09The higher-level organisms include protozoa, amoebae, nematodes, and some fungal-looking strands called actinobacteria.
Step 10Within active and diverse soil food web, these organisms make minerals and nutrients available to plants and build soil structure able to retain moisture and oxygen.
This is known as nutrient cycling. Think of this process like the microorganisms are building soil cities.
And tillage as having the effect of Godzilla making its way through a major city.
Step 11
By understanding and supporting the presence of a diverse soil food web, we support the health of regenerative soil which ensures nutrient cycling, feeds and protects our plants, increases production, flavor and nutrient density, which in turn feed our guts, fuel mental clarity, can ease inflammation, and ease the effects of compound stress and trauma.
To learn more about the connections between soil biology, personal wellness, community health, and global resilience, check out our workshops.
It's All Connected